Paperback

Bill's own fascination with science began with a battered old schoolbook he had when he was about ten or eleven years old in America. It had an illustration that captivated him - a cutaway diagram showing Earth's interior as it would look if you cut into it with a large knife and carefully removed about a quarter of its bulk. And he very clearly remembers thinking: 'How do they know that'? Bill's story-telling skill makes the 'How?' and, just as importantly, the 'Who?' of scientific discovery entertaining and accessible for all ages.

In this exciting edition for younger readers, he covers the wonder and mysteries of time and space, the frequently bizarre and often obsessive scientists and the methods they used, the crackpot theories which held sway for far too long, the extraordinary accidental discoveries which suddenly advanced whole areas of science when the people were actually looking for something else (or in the wrong direction) and the mind-boggling fact that, somehow, the universe exists and, against all odds, life came to be on this wondrous planet we call home.

About The Author

Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1951. He settled in England in 1977, where he lived for many years with his English wife and four children before moving with his family to America. In 2003 the Brysons came back to England where they intend to remain. He is the bestselling author of THE LOST CONTINENT, MOTHER TONGUE, NEITHER HERE NOR THERE, MADE IN AMERICA, NOTES FROM A SMALL ISLAND, A WALK IN THE WOODS, NOTES FROM A BIG COUNTRY and DOWN UNDER, as well as, most recently, A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING, which won the Aventis Prize 2004 and was shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize.

Industry Reviews

"Written with his inimitable style and humour let loose upon who we are, how we got here and the systems that support us which is all beautifully illustrated" * Publishing News *"This history of life, the universe and everything in between is entertaining and Bryson is an excellent guide. Great for the kids and good for parents, too." * Sunday Express *"The incomparable Bill Bryson travels through time to bring bite-sized nuggets of information to the younger readers" * Angels and Urchins *"A great gift and one that will bear dipping into many a time as children discover more about their world and the universe" * Eastern Press *"Lively and enticing" * Spectator *

About the Author

Bill Bryson was born in Des Moines, Iowa, in 1951. Settled in England for many years, he moved to America with his wife and four children for a few years ,but has since returned to live in the UK. His bestselling travel books include The Lost Continent, Notes From A Small Island, A Walk In The Woods and Down Under. His acclaimed work of popular science, A Short History Of Nearly Everything, won the Aventis Prize and the Descartes Prize, and was the biggest selling non-fiction book of the decade in the UK.